Until The Last Moment
by da-mouse
Summary: “I never really understood you, how you felt…now I do…” Unforseen tragedy forced her to leave…and in the midst of everything, a sinister presence is brewing...-MikagamixFuuko & KaoruxGanko-
1. Prologue: Goodbye

**Disclaimer:** Mikagami doesn't want me because I am not rich enough!! Waaaaaaa!! So now that you know I don't own nothing, get off my case! Thanks! ^_^   
  
**Important Notes**:   
- I didn't read the manga, but since the anime didn't say anything about Fuuko's father, I am going to assume that she has one [heck, everyone has one!] and something happens to him here…doesn't it always?   
- I know there's a 4 year age gap between Kaoru and Ganko, but to make my writing easier, I've decided to age Ganko, yeah. ^_^   
- Ages of characters in _Prologue_  
  Fuuko/Recca/Yanagi/Domon – 18 yrs  
  Tokiya – 19 yrs  
  Kaoru – 15 yrs  
  Ganko – 13 yrs

For **Satsumi**: for all the laughter and tears we share, for all the encouragement and comfort.   
  


Until The Last Moment  
written by: da*mouse  
  


Prologue: Goodbye  
  


_It was like any other day, to her. It was supposed to be an ordinary day. _

_But she came home to a silent house, without her _okaa-san's_ usual cheery greeting, and she then knew that something was wrong. She found her _okaa-san_ in her parents' bedroom, clutching a piece of paper, tears falling down her cheeks._

_Her _okaa-san_ rose when she saw her, and embraced her, still crying silently. _

_"…your _otou-san_…" _

_That was all her _okaa-san_ could manage, but she immediately knew. _

_Her _otou-san_…was dead. _

_"They didn't know how…"_

_He died in a car crash, in Yokohama. No explanations, no witnesses. His body was found in his car, mangled and almost beyond recognition. He had collided with a truck, they said. But the truck was empty, no signs of any driver, passengers, or even anyone at all. _

_As if it was a ghost truck. A ghost truck that targeted her _otou-san…__

_Then everything hit her at once._

_Her _otou-san_ was gone. Gone forever. She didn't even see him for the last time, and she would never see his face again, see his smile, hear his voice, or have him ruffle her hair, and playfully asking her to be more feminine, or she'd be his "burden" for the rest of his life. _

_She would never feel the fatherly love, and fatherly presence, again._

_Never again. _

_The grief was overpowering, overwhelming. She let her _okaa-san_ hug her, and she comforted her _okaa-san_ while she cried, but she herself could find no space for tears._

_She was too devastated… to even want to cry. _

-

_"I can't stay here anymore… please try to understand…?" _

_"Where do we go?"_

_"I need to get away from here. I've arranged for us to go to New York. Where we can perhaps make a fresh start, and forget everything that ever happened here…"_

_Get away? Forget?_

_How could she _ever_ forget? She knew that she could run to the other ends of the earth, and she would never, ever forget. _

_Until the end of her life, until the last moment, it would haunt her…forever. _

-

_She wanted to see him, because he was the only one who would understand. _

_For that moment, she needed him. _

_Snow was falling all around them, snowflakes clinging to their hair, their clothes. The park was covered with a sheet of icy whiteness. Everything was so still, so peaceful. _

_Except for her, where emotions churned, and where her heart bled. Her eyes were dry. She gave everything to will herself not to cry. Not to shed a single tear. _

_At least, not here. _

_She had cried, since then, once. Just once. And that was all. _

_He stood behind her, his hands in his pockets, his face impassive. _

_He didn't speak, he waited for her to. _

_"I never got to say goodbye. I never told him that I love him." _

_He was silent for a moment. Then…"He knows you do."_

_"Does he really?" Her voice was flat. "I never really understood you, how you felt…"_

_"…now I do…"_

_He didn't know what to say, so he chose not to say anything. He just sat down beside her, and listened._

_She drew in a deep breath, clenched her fists, and look down at her hands. Her slim shoulders trembled just a little, but he noticed. Without a word, he put his arm around her shoulders, and pulled her against him, his hand running through her hair, his touch strangely comforting. _

_She choked back a sob, unwilling to cry. _

_"It's okay." Only two words, but she knew exactly what he meant. She couldn't hold it back anymore, the floodgates opened, and in his arms, clutching the lapels of his jacket, her tears spilled._

_And she cried, her devastated sobs escaping her, and he continued to hold her, calming her silently. _

-__

_ "I'm leaving tomorrow."_

_Silence. _

_"When are you coming back?"_

_"I don't know. Maybe…not ever."_

_"Why?"_

_"I don't want to remember."_

I will never forget, but I don't want to remember…

_Quiet acceptance of her words. _

_Then she spoke again. "You don't have to come to the airport."_

_"Why?"_

_"I don't want to say goodbye to you there." _

_She raised her eyes to his. _

_"Let's just say goodbye…now." _

-  
  
_'Calling passengers on the flight JH 345 to New York, please proceed to Gate 12 for immediate boarding. Thank you.'_

Kirisawa Fuuko heaved a huge backpack onto her slim shoulders and stood up. "I guess this is it, guys." 

The Hokage team members, minus Mikagami Tokiya, stood silently before her, none of them saying anything, except for Ishijima Domon, who was crying huge tears. Hanabishi Recca ran a hand through his spiky dark hair, managing a grin. 

"You'll come back?"

Fuuko was silent for a moment. Then she shrugged. "I don't know. I have to stay as long as I am needed. _Okaa-san_ needs me…" Her voice dropped an octave. "…more than ever, now that _otou-san_ is… gone…" Her voice trailed off, and she clenched her fists, unwilling to spill the tears in her eyes. 

Sakoshita Yanagi stepped forward. "Fuuko-san, we…" 

Fuuko forced herself to swallow the tears, and looking up, she pasted a bright and false smile on her face. "I'm all right."

Out of the Hokage team, only Recca knew that she was not all right. He could read the pain in his childhood friend's eyes, the anguish of losing her father. He knew that she was hurting, he knew that she was lost. He knew that the strong façade she was putting on, was just that. 

A façade, nothing more. 

Stepping forward, he hugged her comfortingly, tightly. "Take care, Fuuko." 

She returned his embrace gratefully. "Thank you, Recca." She whispered. 

_'Calling passengers on the flight JH 345 to New York, please proceed to Gate 12 for immediate boarding. Thank you.'_

"I really have to go." Fuuko turned, and held out her hand to Ganko. "Let's go, Ganko."

The thirteen year-old blonde girl hooked her arm with Fuuko's. Ever since staying with Fuuko after the end of the tournament, the two had grown closer than ever, and Ganko saw Fuuko as her surrogate mother, and Fuuko, saw her as the little sister she never had. When the news came from Yokohama, it was Ganko who held Fuuko as she finally broke down and cried, days after days of being strong for her _Okaa-san_, and it was Ganko who made up her mind to follow Fuuko to New York. 

Fuuko turned to her teammates one last time. Yanagi rushed forward, and hugged her, a slight sob escaping her throat. Domon, of course, didn't hesitate to give Fuuko a bear hug, and for the first time, she wasn't complaining.

She ruffled Kaoru's hair. "Be good, now." Kaoru squirmed away from her touch. "Awww, Fuuko-_neechan_…I'm fifteen now, of course I'm good!" 

"Where's Mikagami?" Domon asked suddenly. "Doesn't he want to say goodbye?"

"Yeah, where is he?" Recca looked around, the fact that Mikagami wasn't at the airport dawning upon him. 

Fuuko was quiet. 

_He won't come._

_You asked him not to._ Her inner voice reminded her. 

She forced a careless shrug. "I can't wait for him. I have to board." Turning to her dearest friend in the Hokage team, she gave Recca another hug. "Bye, Recca."

"You come back, ok? You've yet to beat me in a fight." Recca reminded her.

Fuuko laughed, the first genuine laughter in many, many days. "I'll remember that." 

_'Last call for passengers on the flight JH 345 to New York, please proceed to Gate 12 for immediate boarding. Thank you.'_

Fuuko and Ganko walked towards the departure gates. She turned, and scanned the airport briefly.

_He's not here. He won't be here._

"Fuuko-_neechan_?" Ganko noticed her hesitation. "Are you all right?"

"Yes, I…"

A tall figure suddenly obscured her view, and she found herself looking into a pair of icy blue eyes. 

_Mi-chan…_

"What are you doing…" Her sentence was cut off as he suddenly pulled her to him, holding her against him, hugging her tightly. 

She didn't resist his embrace, her own arms going around his back, and she rested her head on his shoulder. 

_This may be the last time…_

_'Last call for passengers on the flight JH 345 to New York, please proceed to Gate 12 for immediate boarding. Thank you.'_

"I have to go." She whispered, her voice muffled against him. 

He loosened his hold on her, and she stepped back. She forced a grin on her face. "Thanks for coming here and seeing me off." 

Serious eyes regarded her. 

"Bye…"

Still, he didn't say anything. Biting her lip, Fuuko picked up her backpack, and turned away, when he grabbed her hand. 

"You have to come back."

She saw an unreadable expression in Mikagami Tokiya's eyes…was it a pleading expression? Or had she misinterpreted…?

_You have to come back…_

"…I'll try…"

"Fuuko-_neechan_!" 

She pulled her hand away, but he only held it tighter, refusing to release her. Her eyes met his again, willing him to understand. 

Reluctantly, he let go. 

And she walked away, through the departure gates, into the departure hall.

And he stood still, watching her, and only when he couldn't see her anymore, he left. 

-

Two men stood in a dark warehouse, one smoking. "Everything went according to the plan?"

"Yes. He's out of the way." The other man confirmed.

"Good." He crushed his cigarette, and pulled out a gun, pointing it at his companion, whose eyes widened with sudden horror. 

"And so are you."

-To be continued-

  
*

da*mouse ®  
7th September 2003  
12.58 a.m.

Uhhh…hmmm…I myself am not quite sure what to make of this. Well…after getting so many nice reviews for _Farewell, New Beginning_, I thought I'd try writing a chaptered fic and see where it takes me. Hopefully somewhere good?

Urmm, apologies if Fuuko seemed OOC here, but since her dad just died, I couldn't have her jumping around in the classical Fuuko way. Grief does change someone, although if you guys it changed her **too** much, my apologies. As well as Tokiya…okay, so ordinarily he wouldn't be **this** nice, but give Fuuko-chan a break! ^_^ If you guys didn't manage to interpret it, here's the scoop: Fuuko and Tokiya are **_not_**together, but yeah, there's something there. See where it goes…later.

Kaoru and Ganko is the side pairing for this fic; sorry there's no focus on them in the prologue. Will be mentioning some progress in Chapter 1. Hope you guys will hang long enough to read it! ^_^

Please review/flame/comment/whatever – I live on reviews…hehehe… 

Once again, this goes out to **Satsumi**: Thanks for everything.  

  
  



	2. Chapter 1: And So We Meet Again

**Disclaimer**: To cut the long story short: Own nothing, don't sue. Yeah. I only own Tajeri Hideoshi, Nakata Sayaka and couple of mystery men. 

**Note:   
- **Totally made up the names of places in Yokohama, didn't exist except in this fic.   
- Lots of inner thoughts and perspectives…just to clean up the 4 years apart thingie. Sorry if it's completely boring.  
- Ages of characters:   
  Fuuko/Recca/Yanagi/Domon – 22 yrs  
  Tokiya – 23 yrs  
  Kaoru – 19 yrs  
  Ganko – 17 yrs

Until The Last Moment  
written by: da*mouse  
  


Chapter 1: And So We Meet Again  
  
  


_Four years later…  
  
_

"Mikagami here."

She cradled the phone to her ear, her heart pounding.

"Hello?"

Her voice was lost on her, for some reason. 

"Who's this? Speak up, I don't have all day." The voice was tinged with annoyance.

"Mi…Mikagami."

A long silence. Then…

"Kirisawa?"

"Yeah."

A sound of a throat being cleared. "How's everything?"

"I'm coming home."

-_  
  
_

_'Ladies and gentleman, the plane had just entered the borders of Tokyo. We will be landing in another 30 minutes time.'_

_Tokyo…_

Fuuko shifted, allowing herself to look out of the tiny window on the plane. She could see a huge spread of tall buildings, not unlike the city she had called home for the past four years. 

There wasn't really anything familiar. 

Fuuko rested back on her seat and closed her eyes. After four years, the city she had grown up almost seemed foreign to her. The thought of coming back never really occurred to her, because there was a point in time where she believed that she would never return to Tokyo.

She bit her lip. All these years, and the pain was still as fresh as if it had been just yesterday…that she got home and found her _okaa-san_ sobbing. Finding out that her _otou-san_ was dead…gone forever…

Fuuko slid down into her seat, trying to force the unhappy memories out of her mind, picking up a newspaper, scanning the news stories without much enthusiasm, until a name jumped out at her. 

_Mikagami Tokiya_.

The article highlighted one of the more sensational trials in Tokyo at that time, the trial of an infamous Japanese mobster, Hideoshi Tajeri. Tokiya was a part of the prosecuting team. 

A smile flickered past Fuuko's face as she carefully refolded her newspaper. Never in a million years would she have thought that Tokiya and her would end up choosing the same career; told her this scenario during their Hokage fighting days and she'd probably laughed at the thought of having anything in common with the infamous freezer.  

But…

_There's a lot more in common between us than I originally thought…_The ironic thought crossed Fuuko's mind. _ A _lot_ more…_

A sense of loneliness filled her suddenly. 

Otou-san_, I miss you so much…still do…_

-

"Here, hang onto this, please, Ganko…" Fuuko easily grabbed a huge luggage off the carousel and dumped it at Ganko's feet. Ganko picked it up, and almost immediately, she staggered back. Struggling for balance, she managed to place it on the luggage cart.

"Whoa, this is heavy!" She gasped.

Fuuko was still waiting for the other piece of baggage. "Never said it wasn't."

Ganko narrowed her eyes at the slim purple-haired young woman. "You made it seem so light."

Fuuko merely laughed. Her lithe figure was not to be mistaken that she was a dainty young lady. Fuuko could handle heavy things as well as a man, if not, better. 

Four years had not done Fuuko a lot of change. Of course, she _did_ change, mellowed down a little, quieter and more subdued after her father's death, and remained so until today, but some of the old 17-year-old Fuuko still remained, and that was partly what made her so intriguing to a lot of men.

Ganko observed her Fuuko-_neechan_ out of the corner of her eye, as the latter tapped her foot impatiently, hands on hips, eyes scanning the baggage carousel. 

At New York University, where Fuuko obtained her law degree, men swarmed around Fuuko, guys begged her for dates, rich, handsome and available guys, but Fuuko never gave them another glance, or gave them anytime of the day. Unlike the Japanese guys who were virtually scared off by Fuuko's tomboyish tough-girl exterior, the American guys actually welcomed it, calling it her 'irresistible attitude'.

Thinking about the geek who coined that term made Ganko wrinkled her nose. 

Of course, Ganko knew what exactly kept Fuuko from getting too close to her admirers. Or should she say, who. 

Mikagami-_niisan_. 

She was thirteen when she saw them at the airport, but age wasn't relevant, it didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that there were something going on between Fuuko and Tokiya. She saw the expression of Tokiya's face, and she could read the one on Fuuko's as well. 

The letters and phone calls didn't come as often as Ganko expected. They did come, of course, but few and far in between. Fuuko never said anything, and so, Ganko never asked. 

"Hey, Ganko!"

Ganko was snapped out of her reverie, as Fuuko waved a hand in front of her face. "You there?"  She then tapped on Ganko's head. "Hello, Ganko, are you home?" 

Ganko laughed and slapped Fuuko's hand lightly. "Just spacing out."

"Well, you can stop spacing out and give me a hand with the luggage here!"

Laughing, the two young women linked arms, and together, pushed the trolley out to the arrival hall. 

-

"We're meeting at _Mizu No Uta_ restaurant for dinner, around six. You'll be there, right?" Recca was already putting a tick next to Tokiya's name on his checklist. 

"Actually, Hanabishi…I am not so sure I could make it." Came the cool reply over the phone. "I have a court case I have to prepare for tomorrow, I don't think I can spare any of my time."

A short silence as Tokiya's words penetrated Recca's mind. 

_What?_

"Yeah, well, I have to draft my proposal for the chemical plant, tomorrow, too. You don't see me flying the coop."  

"And your point is?" 

Recca took the phone away from his ear and stare at it with disbelief, as if the phone was Tokiya himself. 

"Mikagami…this is Fuuko we're talking about. Our old teammate whom we haven't seen for, like, _four_ whole years? And you can't spend a measly hour to see her? If you don't already know, she's only going to be here for a few days. After that, she's going to head back to New York, and god knows when we'll see her again!"

"I know." The voice on the other end was still cool and impersonal. "But I don't see how I could make it. And if there's nothing else, I have to get back to my work. Goodbye."

_Click_.

_If that block of ice was standing before me, I'd melt him completely with Nadare!_ Recca replaced the phone with a loud bang. 

_Geez! If not for Fuuko, who wants him there?_ Recca thought sourly. 

-

Tokiya stared at the phone on his desk. 

_"I'm coming home…"_

_His grip on the phone receiver tightened. _

_"Oh." _

_"Will I see you when I get back?"_

_"Maybe."_

_He could hear a soft sigh on the other end. "We'll just see how things go. Thought I'd tell you, anyway."_

_He didn't know what to say, so he kept quiet. _

_"Well, see ya then. Hopefully."_

And…

_Mikagami…this is Fuuko we're talking about. Our old teammate whom we haven't seen for, like, four whole years?_ Recca's words echoed in his head. 

_Of course I know! _He thought irritably. He _knew _it had been four years since they last saw each other. Four, long years. 

Now and then, he thought of her. She was never too far from his thoughts. Likened to a suppressed memory.  

And now, she was back again. 

But whether should he or should he not see her again, he didn't know. A look at the neat piles of paper on his desk told him that regardless of the excuse he had given Recca, he could very well afford to take some time off. 

He didn't exactly know why he told Recca he couldn't make it when he very well knew he could. Discomfort, perhaps. He didn't quite know how to face her. What to do, what to say. 

It had been so long since he last saw the purple-haired monkey. And he couldn't help wondering, what was she like now? Was she any different? Still tomboyish, loud and obnoxious? Or had she finally mellowed into a demure young lady?

He found himself laughing inwardly at the last thought. _Kirisawa, a _demure_ young lady? Yeah, well, when pigs fly…_

But then again…tragedy did change people. 

It changed him.

Did it change Fuuko? 

_After so long…how are things going to be?_

He remembered how things were between them; yes, she was annoyingly merry and chirpy around him, and it irritated him, but somehow, she managed to be the bright points of his days at times. No matter how much he hated to admit it, she was a cheerful presence. 

No matter how much he wanted to deny it, he knew he felt differently around her.

But that was before her father's death, before the tragedy changed everything. 

He recalled their last days together. How Fuuko had sought after him, because she needed for someone to understand. He understood, and he did what he could. He didn't know whether did he help, but it was all he could give. 

No one really gave him comfort after Mifuyu died. He didn't want Fuuko to feel the overwhelming anger and sadness he had felt, that no one understood, no one even bothered to understand. He found himself wanting to be there for her, with her.

Underneath his icy exterior, he cared. He cared about her. It was almost unbelievable, but he did, truly did. 

Tokiya glanced at the clock on his desk. It read a quarter past five. If he were to leave now, he could go home, take a shower, and be at the restaurant, just a bit late. 

He wanted to see her again.

And tonight, he could.

-

"Thank you, Mosuke-san." Fuuko took a huge, bulky envelope from the older man sitting at the table opposite her. "I'm sorry it took me so long to get out here, it was just…"

The man waved his hand carelessly. "Ah, it is all right, Kirisawa-san. I should be the one to apologise; it had taken too long for it to settle. But you know how it is, insurance firms. The prevention of fraud and all. And besides, the circumstances were really quite mysterious. A lot of things have to be investigated."

Fuuko nodded, smiling politely, as she removed the papers from the envelope, carefully looking through the items.  

"Everything should be in order, Kirisawa-san."

She rifled through the papers, mentally ticking off all the supposed documents. Picking up the report of the accident, she scanned it briefly, and was about to put it aside when something caught her eye.

She looked at the paper again. Stamped clearly in red under the box 'Occurrence of Accident' was Kitagawa. 

Fuuko frowned. _Kitagawa_? 

"Uhh…_gomen_…Mosuke-san. I think there's a mistake here, my _otou-san _had his accident in Kitakawa, was it not?" 

The man took the paper from her. "Oh, that's right." He smiled apologetically. "I supposed it was very very careless, the handling of the initial report, but it's right. The accident occurred in Kitagawa, not Kitakawa."

"Oh, I see." Fuuko replied, preoccupied, as her mind was working itself into a jumble as she tried to recall the events four years ago. 

_What was _otou-san_ doing in Kitagawa? He had no business there…no reason to be there. So why? _ _It was strange, and yet…_

"Kirisawa-san? If everything is in order, can you please sign here for me? I hate to rush you, but I have another appointment in half an hour's time." 

Fuuko jolted out of her thoughts. "Of course. _Gomen ne_, I was spacing out." She scribbled her signature, and left the lawyer's office, holding the envelope of documents in her hand, her mind still going back and forth between Kitagawa and Kitakawa. 

_Ah, just forget it. _

Dropping the envelope into her bag, Fuuko pushed the thoughts out of her mind. It shouldn't matter, really, maybe her _otou-san_ had some other business there. And it was an honest mistake to mix up the place of the accident. 

But she couldn't help feeling that something didn't quite add up… 

-

"I could hardly wait to see Fuuko-san again!" Yanagi clutched Recca's arm excitedly, her eyes at the door. 

"Yeah, it'll be great seeing her." Recca pat the young woman's hand affectionately. Across from them, Domon was looking decidedly dreamy. "Oooh, my Fuuko darling has returned to me…" 

Recca eyed him warily. "That was exactly the kind of attitude that'll have Fuuko beating you up." 

Of course, Domon chose to ignore the flame-caster, and looked eagerly at the door, waiting for his precious Fuuko to appear. 

They didn't have to wait long. Fuuko and Ganko entered the restaurant a few moments later. Spotting her childhood friends, Fuuko rushed over with a squeal. 

"RECCA!" she yelled, ignoring his outstretched arms for a hug and chose to tackle him, causing them both to fell over on the floor. She then punched his arm. Painfully. 

"OW, FUUKO! THAT HURTS!" 

"Errr…Recca, Fuuko-san…ahem…" Yanagi coughed discreetly, and the two on the floor looked up to see other diners glancing at them with a mixture of curiosity, amusement and irritation. 

Fuuko immediately jumped up, and pulled Recca to his feet. The two then hugged each other again, properly, without anyone falling onto the floor. 

After they drew apart, Recca kept his hands on Fuuko's shoulders, his eyes warm and affectionate. "It's great to see you again, Fuuko."

Feelings overcame Fuuko, and she felt choked for a moment. "It's great to see you, too, Recca." 

"Fuuko-san!" 

"Yanagi-san!" 

The two hugged then, and Recca ruffled Ganko's hair playfully. "All grown up, eh, Ganko? How many hearts have you broken?" he asked teasingly as Ganko blushed.

"Geez, Recca-_niisan_…"

"Fuuko darling!" Domon grabbed Fuuko in a huge bear hug. 

"Okay, okay…you…can…let go…now…" Fuuko gasped as she tried to breathe. 

"How about a kiss, Fuuko…?"

POW! 

A bruised Domon lied on the floor as Fuuko dusted her hands with satisfaction. Recca shook his head amusedly as Ganko and Yanagi cringed. 

_Still the same old Fuuko in many ways…and I'm glad. _Recca smiled to himself. 

-

Once they were seated, Fuuko looked around. "Where's Kaoru?"

As she spoke, the door to the restaurant opened, and in strode Koganei Kaoru, looking stylish in a buttoned-down shirt, dark jeans, dark sunglasses and a girl hanging off his arm. He stopped by the table where the Hokage gang was seating, with Fuuko and Ganko looking a bit shocked. 

"You can go now, Chiyuki." 

"I'll see you tomorrow, then, Kaoru?" The girl said, smiling in a way Ganko thought was decidingly sick. 

Kaoru winked. "If you're lucky."

As the girl left (not without pouting), Kaoru slid into a seat, across from Ganko. 

"Looking good, Fuuko-_neechan_ and…" He turned to Ganko, and stopped speaking. Slowly, he took off his sunglasses. 

"No way! Ganko?"

"Yup." Ganko confirmed coolly. 

"The little Ganko that was barely four feet tall?" 

Ganko glared, then. "For your information, I happened to be four and a half feet tall when I left for New York!" 

"The same Ganko who always had that doll Gondo around?"

"It's KONDO!" 

"Yea!" piped up a familiar voice. From Ganko's shoulder bag, a small fox-like creature poked its head out and stuck out its tongue at Kaoru. 

'Yeah, whatever." Kaoru didn't give Kondo a second glance, his gaze was fixed on Ganko. "Well, I have to say, you look _really_ great, Ganko." He smiled charmingly.

Ganko frowned inwardly, she could almost see the flirt radar in Kaoru switching itself to 'high'. She could not deny that four years had done Kaoru a lot of good in the looks and physique department, but she certainly wasn't going to tell him that! Flirting was Kaoru's hobby after all. She chose to ignore him, and picked up the menu instead. 

"Fuuko-_neechan, _what are you going to have?"

"The chicken teriyaki is really good." Kaoru plucked the menu from Ganko and set it aside. "Trust me on this, and you won't regret it."

"Yeah, the little brat is right." Domon agreed. 

Kaoru frowned, and Fuuko grinned. "Okay, then. Whatever you guys say!"

As the waiter took their orders and served them hot _o-cha_, Kaoru leaned across the table, and grinned at Ganko. "How's life in New York? Did you miss me while you were there?" 

"Life is good, and I didn't miss you." Ganko replied calmly, sipping her _o-cha_. 

"Touché." Recca smirked.  

Nevertheless, Kaoru wasn't giving up. Not by a long shot. All throughout dinner, he tried to get Ganko's attention, with the younger teen brushing him off with annoyance every time he tried to hit on her. 

The older Hokage members watched amusedly at their exchanges, a flirting Kaoru and an indifferent Ganko was definitely an interesting sight.  

"Dating anyone right now, Ganko?"

"None of your business." Ganko looked menacingly at Kaoru. "If you don't want to end up with a black eye, I suggest you start eating and stop bothering me." 

Kaoru held up his hands in mock surrender as Recca laughed.

"Ganko reminded me a lot of someone."

All eyes turned to the purple-haired wind-wielder. "Fuuko!" 

Fuuko looked half-amused, and half annoyed as the table burst into laughter, even Ganko herself. 

"Yeah, Fuuko hadn't changed much…" Domon touched his bruised nose, looking woefully at Fuuko. "Remember how your father used to say…" Yanagi gasped and Recca started gesturing frantically at Domon, but the latter either didn't see it, or chose to ignore them. "…that you'd be his burden for the rest of his life if you don't change into a more lady like character? You probably drove him to his grave with your tomboyish personality!"

Silence came over the table, and Domon realised his blunder as Fuuko's face changed. 

"Oops…Fuuko! I mean…OW!" Recca pinched Domon on his upper arm. "Shut up!" 

Fuuko set down her chopsticks, Domon's painful words imprinted in her mind. She knew he didn't mean it, but it didn't lessen the pain.

She then stood up. "Guys…I hate to cut this short, but I…think I gotta go. I'll see you guys some other time, ok?" She picked up her bag and walked rapidly to the door, knowing she had to be out of there before she exploded and started throttling Domon.

"Fuuko-san!" cried Yanagi at the same time Ganko echoed her. "Fuuko-_neechan_!"

Ganko stood up and was about to go after Fuuko when Recca stopped her. "Let her be. I think she needs to be alone for now." He said, with a significant glare at Domon. 

The bigmouth slumped down on his seat guiltily. "Damn."

-

Fuuko exited the restaurant, and standing outside the entrance for a moment, she let out a frustrated sigh. Inwardly she was berating herself for leaving in such a childish manner, but she just couldn't stay there any longer, even though she knew Domon was just being his loud-mouthed, idiotic, thinking-without-brains-self. 

But still, his words stung at her. It had made sorrow and pain resurfaced when she had successfully kept it suppressed. She exhaled loudly. _It's okay. He didn't mean it. It's okay…you're okay…_

Feeling a lot better about the situation, she started to walk down the steps when she knocked into someone. 

"Sorry," she muttered and was about to push past that person when a hand caught her upper arm. 

"Kirisawa?"

Startled, she looked up, and saw him standing before her.

"Mikagami."

-

They sat opposite each other in the dimly lit coffee house. Fuuko was toying with her napkin, her normally chatty tongue seemingly uncooperative as she searched for something to say to the young man sitting across from her.

Tokiya, however, sipped his coffee with an expression of indifference that he had mastered over the years. Over the rim of his coffee cup, he regarded his former comrade. 

She had changed over the years; she still kept her purple hair cropped short, but longer at the back to give her a much-needed air of feminity. Gone was the T-shirts and shorts, her simple V-neck blue blouse and black slacks gave her a look of casual elegance. Her figure, the talk of the UBS during the fight years ago, was still slender. 

But he noticed the slight change in her: the maturity in her emerald eyes. Once upon a time, nothing but mischief and playfulness sparkled in her eyes. Now those eyes held a slightly more serious expression. 

As for Fuuko, she was also carefully eyeing Tokiya. Character-wise, she supposed he was still the same. Physically, he had changed, but not too much. He still possessed the air of charm and cool indifference that made girls in high school fell all over him. He still kept his silvery hair long, and held back in the ponytail she had never seen him without. He was dressed immaculately, in a dark suit. Ice-blue eyes peered out from behind a few locks of silver hair that had escaped from his ponytail. 

Mikagami Tokiya, as attractive as she last saw him, if not more. 

Fuuko emptied a packet of sugar into her latte. The silence still hung in the air. 

_He never changed. Still won't take the initiative to begin any sort of conversation._

"So…how's life?"

Long fingers placed the coffee cup back on its saucer. "Good."

"Enjoying your work?"

He reached for a napkin. "Bearable."

"Oh." 

Silence lapsed between them again as she slumped back, and he continued to sip his coffee. 

Nothing unusual for Tokiya to be so quiet in front of Fuuko, but uncharacteristic for Fuuko to be keeping her mouth shut. 

She disliked this, this feeling of stiff formality between them. Back in the old Hokage days…well, frankly speaking, there wasn't much change in Tokiya, he didn't have a lot to say. She was the one who was always talking, and teasing him indefinitely, the only one could ruffle Mikagami Tokiya's calm feathers. The only one who could get him to lift a corner of his mouth, the closest he could ever come to smiling. 

Now she felt almost uncomfortable to want to talk to him, much less tease him like she used to. She couldn't even call him Mi-chan like she used to, and had used 'Mikagami' throughout the whole 'conversation'. 

The circumstances in which they parted under…and the distance that stretched since then probably contributed to this scene of awkwardness. 

Their last days together…she had cried in front of him, he had comforted her, he had hugged her, held her close, and yet, they never really talked about it. The few letters and phone calls over the years were civil, and most of the time, impersonal. Just a note to make sure each other was all right, and that was it. 

But she…she wanted to dismiss all these feelings. She wanted to able to tease him and laugh at him as it was before all this happened. Could she try…? She decided that she wanted to. 

_Let everything be the way they used to be…I want them to be._

She nibbled at her bottom lip, and then threw out the old endearment. 

"Oi, Mi-chan. Can't you, like, say something?" 

Tokiya was startled slightly as he heard the familiar playful cadences, and the hated nickname he never permitted her to call him. He looked at her, she was looking at him, her arms folded on top of the table, a tentative, but teasing smile on her face. 

He felt a rush of undecipherable emotion; it had been so long since he heard that nickname, heard her saying it with that grin on her face. At that instant, it was almost like old times.

Tokiya scowled, it came almost like a natural reaction to the unwanted moniker. "Kirisawa, you're still at that? I was hoping you'd forgotten all about it."

Fuuko brightened at the sight of his scowl, strangely enough. The scowl was very Mi-chan, and she welcomed the sight. "Never! Once Mi-chan, always will be Mi-chan."

"I had outgrown the 'chan' part about twenty years ago." 

"I bet a lot of fan girls would disagree with that, ne, Mi-chan? Still have hoards of fan girls after you?" 

"Kirisawa…" He wore a look of exasperation. 

Fuuko giggled; and the ice was broken. At least, partially. She could see it in him, too, Tokiya's broad shoulders, tensed all the while, had relaxed as he continued glaring at her. 

"So, how many girlfriends have you had? Or still having? How many girls are after you? Five? Six? Twenty?"  She looked at him, an expression on interest on her face. She was definitely very curious about that question. 

"I shall not insult my intelligence by answering that question." Tokiya muttered. 

"Come on, Mi-chan…there _must_ be someone…I mean…"

"Actually, no." He cut in. 

"No?" Fuuko was surprised. 

He shrugged indifferently. "Why are you so surprised?"

"Because you always had tons of girls after you?" She pointed out, rather obviously.

"_They_ are after me. Not the other way round."

She laughed then. "Twenty-three years old, and you never dated before?"

"Can't be bothered. I am perfectly happy, alone."

Fuuko looked down at her latte. _Happy, alone?_ "Are you really…? Happy, being alone?"

"What was that, Kirisawa?" 

She jerked up. She didn't realised that she had spoken her thoughts out loud. "Ahhh, I mean…"

"Never mind." He didn't really want to hear her repeat her words. At that instant, his mobile phone rang. 

Picking it up, he spoke rather tersely into the phone. "Mikagami." As the speaker on the other end said something, he frowned. "Nakata-san. I told you not to call me after office hours…" 

Fuuko could hear laughter on the other end that sounded very female. And then…"It doesn't matter what I call you, Nakata-san, be it that or Sayaka. Now, what is it? You are disturbing me."

Sayaka. Yup, definitely a woman. Fuuko suddenly felt uncomfortable. 

Across from her, Tokiya's frown deepened. "What do you mean, Hakugi demanded…what? No, I definitely do not agree to that." The other speaker seemed to be protesting, as he continued rather arrogantly. "No reconsiderations. I don't agree, and that's the end of it. If you'd excuse me, I have company right now." Without waiting for an answer, he ended the call, tossing his mobile phone aside. 

"Hmmph." He muttered, rather irritably. 

"Problems with the trial tomorrow?" she asked tentatively. 

"Nothing major." He then looked at her, a look of mild surprise on his face. "You knew about the trial?"

"Read about it in the papers on the plane en route to Tokyo this morning. It's a great opportunity to be involved in a major case, isn't it?"

"It's a headache." He retorted. "We have a strong case, but the defending team is a bunch of irritating imbeciles…" he was then interrupted by the shrill ringing of his phone, yet again.

Impatiently, he snatched his phone up. "Mikagami. What is it _now_, Nakata?" As he listened, a scowl fixed itself on his features. "Good lord. Can't you people do anything right?" 

Fuuko guessed that Nakata-san was protesting, as Tokiya harrumphed loudly. "Fine, I'll be there as soon as I can." 

He then looked at her. "Kirisawa, sorry but…"

"Yeah, I heard that. No matter." She said, not without feeling a twinge of disappointment. 

He stood up, as did she, and they made their way to the exit. As they stood outside the door, both of them hesitated slightly.

"Which way are you going?" he asked. 

She pointed, the opposing direction to his destination. 

"Do you want me to see you back?"

"Ahhh…no. It's all right, Mi-chan. I'll be fine."

He nodded, still standing there. Fuuko was the first to turn and leave. 

"Well, _ja_, Mi-chan."

As she walked, she suddenly heard his voice behind her. 

"Hey, monkey." 

She halted at the mention of _his _hated nickname for _her_. Turning around, she glared. "Yes, Fridge-boy?"

Rather than looking irritated at the name, he smirked. "You actually answered to 'monkey'?"

"You just answered to 'Fridge-boy'." She said smugly. 

"I did not answer to that ridiculous name, you turned around, it's only natural for me to respond to you."

"And you responded. To Fridge-boy. Clearly you would not have entertained me unless you think I am calling to you, in this case which I used Fridge-boy." 

"Not bad, Kirisawa. Could see why you just managed to pass law school." 

"Did you call me back just to insult me?" She looked irritated.

"No, actually. I was wondering…"

"Yeah?"

"By any chance would you be free for another cup of coffee tomorrow evening?" he asked, his tone flippant, but for some strange reason, he found his heart beating abnormally fast as he waited for her answer. 

She stared at him, hardly daring to believe that Mikagami Tokiya was asking her out. Even if it was just a lousy cup of coffee. 

It took her less than a moment to decide. 

"Yeah, I'd like that." 

-

Somewhere in Tokyo, two men sat across from each other, glasses of wine between them. 

"He's going on trial tomorrow." The younger man confirmed. 

The other one scowled. "Tajeri better know what he's to do." 

"He's been told. By the way, Shigeru-sama…Kirisawa's daughter is back in Tokyo."

He frowned, remembering the man. "So?" 

"I found out that she was part of the winning team that fought in Mori's tournament five years ago."

Silence settled as he digested the information. Then a crafty, unpleasantly cunning smile spread across his face. "Really? Well, well, well. This is _very_ interesting indeed…"

-To be continued-

*

da*mouse ®  
posted 21st September 2003

No long notes this time, just a huge THANK YOU to everyone who reviewed, and once again, sorry for any OOC-ness, sappiness, draggy-ness. Call in character development…yes, I am extremely lame. 

Once again, **_please _**review/comment/flame/whatever, as long as it makes me improve myself. 

Till next chap. 


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